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Europe's largest low cost airline, Ryanair, will enter the Bosnian market this year by introducing flights to Banja Luka. It comes following protracted talks with the government of the Entity of Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The carrier will introduce two weekly services from Charleroi Airport in Belgium, each Monday and Friday, starting October 29, as well as from Memmingen in Germany from October 30, each Tuesday and Saturday. The Prime Minister of the entity, Željka Cvijanović, has said that "several additional destinations will also be launched" by the airline in the coming period. Tickets for the new routes are already available for purchase through the carrier's website.
Commenting on the new route, Ryanair’s Sales and Marketing Executive for Belgium, Helene Begasse, said, “We are pleased to announce a new Brussels Charleroi to Banja Luka route commencing this November. This new route marks Ryanair's entry into Bosnia and Herzegovina, and wi…

The world's largest carrier, American Airlines, is considering introducing seasonal flights to Dubrovnik. According to the "TangoSix" portal, the company is in talks with the airport over a seasonal service from Philadelphia. A decision on the matter is expected within the next month. American operates a number of seasonal flights to Europe from its Philadelphia hub including Athens, Barcelona, Budapest, Frankfurt, Glasgow, Lisbon, Prague, Shannon and Venice. This year, the airline expanded its reach from Philadelphia into Europe with seasonal flights to Budapest and Prague. Both are operated by its Boeing 767-300 aircraft. The move is seen as affirming American’s commitment to Philadelphia as a trans-Atlantic gateway.
Dubrovnik Airport has identified the United States and South Korea as two far-away markets which could sustain services to the coastal city. Speaking to EX-YU Aviation News, Dubrovnik Airport's General Manager, Frano Luetić, said, "These two far-…

Bosnia considering new national carrier

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Bosnia and Herzegovina is considering establishing a new national airline, some two years after the demise of its former flag carrier. The country's Prime Minister, Denis Zvizdić, noted, "We have to establish a new national airline again so as to improve connectivity and the range of destinations offered from Sarajevo. Sarajevo Airport has around one million travellers per year, although there are other airports in the country which would benefit from increased passenger and cargo traffic generated from a local airline". He added, "Figures at Sarajevo in particular could be significantly increased and for that we need an airline which would be partnered with a world class carrier, such as Turkish Airlines", Mr Zvidić said.

The Turkish Prime Minister, Binali Yildirim, visited Bosnia and Herzegovina last week where he held talks with Mr Zvizdić. Turkish Airlines, which previously owned a 49% stake in the former national carrier B&H Airlines, said in the past it was open to exploring new models of commercial cooperation with the Bosnian government over the establishment of a new national airline. The Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Fadil Novalić, has suggested that a successor to B&H Airlines would be established, with the government to invest 2.7 million euros into the new carrier, which would initially operate with one leased aircraft. B&H Airlines itself was set up on the foundations of Air Bosna, which launched in 1994 but ceased operations in 2003 due to mounting debt. Two years later, the government revived the carrier and renamed it B&H Airlines. It ceased operations in 2015 and its liquidation process was recently completed.

Turkish Airlines is currently in the process of establishing a new national carrier in Albania with the Albanian government. Last week, the Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama, said that the project was in its "final stages". According to Mr Rama, Air Albania will operate flights from Tirana to Skopje, Pristina, Podgorica, Sarajevo, and Zagreb, as well to Western Europe. Meanwhile, the privately-owned FlyBosnia is still awaiting regulatory approval to commence its planned services from Sarajevo, initially to the Middle East. It later plans to expand operations throughout Europe. The only airline in Bosnia and Herzegovina currently in possession of a local Air Operator's Certificate is the Tuzla-based cargo carrier Icar Air.

@anon 9:43Opening an airline is arguably the worst employment programme you can devise for locals. What Sarajevo need is good connectivity and affordable prices. It's much better to boost LCCs and attract additional legacy carries, that would brings new jobs to the economy in tourism and hospitality.

Whichever way people might react, I don't find this either odd nor unbelievable. In fact I'm sure it will happen. Remember, Turkish purchased B&H when it had 2 planes and flew to 3 cities in total. So there is no reason not to believe that they would set up some joint venture with the government. It would cost them peanuts in the wider scope of things and give them access to a relatively untapped market.

Barely JU and OU make sense any more, this is not a good road to take. They should look at Skopje example. Not throwing away money on a national airline but helping companies establish new routes and boost connectivity.

What are the chances on creating a pan-Balkan airline? If Bosnia, Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro invest together with the help of Turkish, they can create a worthy Balkan airline that can compete with ASL and CTN.

was never a big fan on B&H but I must admit it is a shame they have gone bankrupt. The company did link Sarajevo with some European capitals. None of these have been covered since their bankruptcy. If Wizz Air had come and established a base in Sarajevo then I would say OK, letting B&H Airlines go was not that big of a price. But the problem is nothing has happened at Sarajevo since then except that we have fewer options to fly to Europe.

"I'm waiting for the next government experiment. Wonder what they will call it? Air Bosnia and Herzegovina probably. They will wait two years, all debt they accumulated will be unplayable so no one cares and then they will create a new company which will mount losses for a decade. Then they do exactly the same as they did with Air Bosna and now with B&H Airlines."

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